Find the right keywords

It’s a good idea to think about the words people will use when they search for your products or services on the internet. A formal word like “refrigerator” or a slang word like “fridge” is more likely to be used by people who buy appliances.

Go to Google AdWords and make a list of 20 to 50 words. Once you have set up an account if you haven’t already, you can check to see if the keywords you chose are used a lot in online searches.

You can also use a Google AdWords product called the Keyword Tool to look for more keywords to add to your list of things to look for.

Use your keywords on each of your website pages to make them more likely to show up when people search for them.

Start by including keywords in the URL, which is the address that shows up in the browser for each of your website pages. These words should be in your titles and also in the text of your metadata descriptions (the brief text that tells search engines what your content is about).

Focus on your unique offerings

Remember that you’re competing with other businesses for the attention of people who might buy from you on the Internet. To rise above the rest when people search for your industry on the internet, look for words that describe your unique offerings or where you are.

Pay-per-click campaigns, where your company’s ad is shown above or next to the free search results, also have a lot of competition. Once your link is clicked, you pay the search engine company. Once again, if you don’t have a lot of money, you’ll have to focus on niche keywords instead.

Read more about SEO strategies for small businesses.